ACA enrollment lasts from Nov. 1 to Jan. 15. According to a proposal released on Monday, the Trump administration is calling for this period to be shortened by one month to Dec. 15, claiming this will help “streamline the enrollment process.”
“This proposal aims to reduce consumer confusion, streamline the enrollment process, align more closely with open enrollment dates for many employer-based health plans, encourage continuous coverage, and reduce the risk of adverse selection from consumers who otherwise may wait to enroll until they need health care services,” the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said in a fact sheet.
CMS also proposed that “sex-trait modification” may not be covered as an essential health benefit beginning in plan year 2026.
In addition to the shortened enrollment period, CMS on Monday proposed ending ObamaCare coverage for immigrants that came into the U.S. illegally as children, also known as “Dreamers.” The proposal would undo a Biden-era rule that was estimated to allow 147,000 immigrants to enroll in coverage.
A federal judge blocked the rule from being enforced in 19 states, and it is still being litigated.
Remember: During Trump’s first term, he shortened open enrollment to seven weeks and limited outreach, resulting in significant drops in open enrollment.
Under the Biden administration, enrollment through the ACA saw consecutive years of record enrollment with 24 million people choosing plans during the most recent open enrollment period. Much of this was credited to expanded ACA subsidies, which are scheduled to expire at the end of this year.
